Bet365

Bet 365 is a part of the 365 Media Group that operates a number of different outlets including TEAMtalk and Football 365. The website was formerly known as ukbetting plc between 2001 and 2006 before it was acquired by BSkyB in January 2007. Extensions of the company, totalbet and the aforementioned ukbetting were absorbed by Skybet which now operate under the mega corporation’s umbrella. Since its profile update, the site has grown in both size and worldwide popularity with it now catering for the needs of over 3 million customers.

Betting

Upon entering the site, the homepage at first seems lifeless and uninspiring, that is until you delve further into the available markets where you will uncover a variety of somewhat obscure sports, as well as the regulars we have come to expect. It is clear from your first visit that this is primarily a sports betting arena. At no immediate point does it suggest otherwise. If you are looking for non-sports related betting you will have to dive deep into the options to unearth such markets as the winner of the next general election to the winner of So You Think You Can Dance. In the very centre of the homepage you have the sites main promotion at the time of writing and this featured a 100% bonus in free bets which corresponds to the amount you place into your account when you initially join. Selecting this option will then open your eyes to the range of other promotions Bet 365 offer which include some rather interesting footy enticers. As well as offering a percentage bonus on accumulators (the more games you pick, the larger the bonus which can go up to 100% if you select 14 games from around the world), there is also the Bore Draw Money Back offer. Basically, if you place a single bet in the win/lose market of any football match, your stake will be refunded if the match ends 0-0, which makes most games an attractive prospect.

Underneath the promotion link lies the Top Coupons section which acts as a short cut, taking you directly to your area of expertise whether it be soccer, tennis or horse-racing. Following on from this there is the Live In-Play section which details all of the markets that are available at the time of your visit related to real time sporting events. The rest of the markets are listed in a tab style along the left hand side of the page. What will amaze you upon browsing the available options is the variety on offer. You can literally bet on anything that is even close to being sporting related, so much so that there are some sports that can be betted on that we’ve never even heard of (Trotting and Bandy anyone?). Aside from this you have all the traditional options and a few unexpected ones, bowls for example. Bet 365 also offers you the chance to take part in lotteries from all around the world. As well as the popular Irish lottery, you can also purchase tickets for the New York and German lotteries.

Casino

Although outright betting is the most obvious offering from this site, there is also an online Casino in which punters can gamble their cash. Card and table games can all be participated in and these areas feature favourites such as Blackjack and Deuces Wild. Live Dealer is another option for customers to use and this sees all the drama unfold right in front of you during your session. While the site does have its own dedicated Poker area (we will come to this later on), under the Casino title is Video Poker which requires a programme download. It offers a £100 initial match bonus when you sign up and allows competition against others sporting their most off putting tactics. The site features live counters for games too, which detail how much money is being pumped into a game and what the potential prize amounts are.

Welcome Bonus

The actual Poker section itself offers a $500 new player bonus when registering for the service as well as a range of tournaments that vary in winning amounts. The whole area does not seem as newb friendly as other sites however. There is a guaranteed monthly prize pool of $1,000,000 in one particular set of tournaments meaning a $200,000 windfall for each individual winner.

Bet365 features an extensive Games section that offers winnings through themed slot and regular games. These include the gambling website favourite, Monopoly as well as War Of The Worlds and HiLo Gambler. Another pretty cool game that you can participate is a money making/losing adult version of the childhood classic, Top Trumps. Among the themes are Football Stars, Legends and Managers and here you are able to place money whilst playing the game (you’ll be quids in if you get the Fergie card!). Finally there is the Bingo area of the site which offers a range of different competitions based on the number shouting past time. Manic Mondays puts you in with a shot of winning £25 just by playing and First Class Fever offers a £1,000 daily prize.

It should be noted that while Bet365 does deal in American Dollars in some areas, the main currency is the English Pound. The currency converter will help you with this when you have to use one or the other though. Fractional betting is the main format used throughout the site but you can choose the option to switch to decimal if you so wish. Bet365 is not the best presented site out there but it more than makes up for it with its vast range of games and markets. It offers new things with the Top Trumps game and markets on any virtually any sport you can think of. Although the site is affiliated with the BSkyB corporation, the odds do vary from those offered on SkyBet, allowing it to remain a standalone bookie with a unique identity. With its market repertoire, it is clear to see why this is one of the best and most recognised brands in the gambling world.